35 games to go; Sillinger officially ruled out for the season

This just in: the Isles are 13-29-5 in 47 games this season. That's "good" for 31 points. Our boys currently have the lead as the league doormats by a comfortable 8 point cushion over the Thrashers and Senators in the race to get the most ping pong balls in the draft lottery.

One thing worth mentioning: in the lottery, a team can only move back one spot in the draft order from where they finish. So, if the Islanders end up in the absolute cellar and are in 30th place, that the WORST the team will have would be the second overall pick in this June's Entry Draft.

Here are Red Line Reports' Current Top Five draft-eligible prospects from USA TODAY:

1. John Tavares C 6-0/198 L 20 SEP 90 London

2. Victor Hedman D 6-6/218 R 18 DEC 90 MoDo

3. Jared Cowen D 6-5/218 R 25 JAN 91 Spokane

4. Evander Kane C 6-1/180 L 01 AUG 91 Vancouver

5. Matt Duchene C 5-11/196 L 16 JAN 91 Brampton


Some interesting notes: We've all heard about Tavares and Hedman and other writers are talking up Duchene but let's not forget the impression Evander Kane made at the World Juniors. Will the Islanders do that trading down thing they mastered last year at the Entry Draft? Who knows. If they get the first overall pick it is going to be hard to sell the fanbase on trading down to get more picks and not select John Tavares.

The other thing to consider is that while Josh Bailey has had trouble scoring goals, he hasn't really had too many plays where his NHL experience (or lack thereof) has shown with glaring errors. He's proven that he can at least hang at this level and the league as a whole is incredibly young these days. Youth, speed, and skill is winning out over the old war-horse mentality that was squeezing the life out of the game before the lockout. Should the Islanders be in a position to select a guy like Tavares, Cowen, Kane, or Duchene, the pressure is going to be on the club to play him right away.

That sort of thing goes two ways and it all depends on which theory you subscribe to. The Bruins stapled Joe Thornton to the end of Pat Burns' bench for his rookie season when he was 18 and he was atrocious and had people questioning whether or not he was going to be a real top drawer player in the NHL. Of course, he was and is and the Bruins traded him away. Seems like we may have heard similar stories on the Island as well.

Would Bailey have been better off playing another year of junior? Who knows? Personally, I would have liked to see him get Christmas off to play for Canada in the WJC but it didn't happen. I think that the Islanders brass maybe didn't want Josh hanging around an old negative curmudgeon like Pat Quinn--but that is pure speculation on my part.

Of course, the trade deadline is coming and everyone is speculating on which current Islanders will be moved. Bill Guerin has a no-trade clause in his contract that he'd have to waive to be moved but you have to think that if a team like Boston came knocking that Guerin may be more receptive to play in his hometown for a team that looks like they're primed for a long spring.

Mike Comrie also is working under a one-year contract. He is a veteran but he is also only 28 years old. Going into the future, the Islanders are going to need Obi Wans to lead the way for the younger guys. Do they see Comrie as that kind of guy? Not sure. His reputation coming to the Islanders was not stellar but I think we all agree that from what we've seen and heard, Comrie may have been mis-characterized or even, perhaps, has matured. The guy is feisty and has a serious competitive streak. That right there makes him a popular rental choice as some secondary scoring for a contender.

Doug Weight has been the subject of trade rumors from the minute he signed on with the Islanders. He has also stated that he wants to stay with the Islanders and likes the area. There's no doubting his productivity while healthy but his recent injuries might scare off some teams who are fixated on his birth certificate.

My best guess is that if the Isles can include Jon Sim and/or Thomas Pock in any deals then they are going to swing those trades faster than Usain Bolt in a wind tunnel. Let's face it: the team has to clear roster space to bring up Trevor Smith and Andy MacDonald from Bridgeport. Reports are that MacDonald, who represented the Sound Tigers in the AHL All-Star Game, is ready to make the next step...and seeing Jon Sim on the power play is simply driving the fanbase crazy.

In other news, the team said Tuesday that center Mike Sillinger had hip surgery for the second time in a year and will miss the remainder of the season.

Sillinger had a microfracture procedure on his hip that forced him to sit out the final 29 games of last season and the first 24 of this one before he was able to play in seven games this season, scoring two goals. On Monday, the Islanders assistant captain had what was reported as "hip resurfacing surgery" and his career is believed to be in jeopardy.

His last appearance in a game was 12/29 versus the Rangers when he scored a goal.

The Isles are back in action tomorrow night in Atlanta.